Experimental Investigation of Sulfation Phenomena in Calcium Looping Systems Integrated in Cement Plants

The sulfation phenomena of raw meal materials involved in calcium looping (CaL) applications to capture CO2 from cement plants are investigated. The effects on sulfur capture capacity and reaction rates of different raw meals, temperatures, SO2 concentration, and degree of belite conversions have been investigated using a thermogravimetric analyzer. SO2 is shown to react with both free CaO and CaO in belite. An apparent reaction order of 0.8 and activation energies of 20.9 and 34.7 kJ/mol were estimated for cases with no-belite and belite formations, respectively. Results indicate that CaL systems for CO2 capture will also remove SO2 emissions in cement plants.